Apparatus for loading lint removers and the like with lint removing tape



y 1968 P. BALABAN APPARATUS FOR LOADING LINT REMOVERS AND THE LIKE WITH LINT REMOVING TAPE I5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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APPARATUS FOR LOADING LINT REMOVERS AND THE LIKE WITH LINT REMOVING TAPE Filed Jan. 10. 1966 a Sheets-Sheet 2 I Ill 60 5 4a 44 IIIII. 3/

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APPARATUS FOR LOADING LINT REMOVERS AND THE LIKE WITH LINT REMOVING TAPE Filed Jan. 10, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 II \?840 74 n MINIMUM-,Lj I-\ v\ W :IIMv ||I|1-- INVENTOR PHILIP BALABAN 2/ W7 M ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 3,383,063 APPARATUS FOR LOADING LINT REMOVERS AND THE LIKE WITH LINT REMOVING TAPE Philip Balaban, 19500 Sorrento, Detroit, Mich. 48235 Filed Jan. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 519,650 13 Claims. (Cl. 242-56) The present invention relates to apparatus for applying pressure sensitive tape and the like to lint remover rollers or dumps and, more particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus which dispenses predetermined lengths of pressure sensitive tape and winds the same upon the peripheral surface of the roller, or drum, of a lint remover.

Lint removers provided with a roller, or drum, on the peripheral surface of which is disposed a length of tacky lint removing tape of the pressure sensitive type, substantially similar to masking tape, are well known in the art and are presently commonly available on the market. Such lint removers are used for removing lint, dust, hair and other foreign particles from fabrics and clothing articles or Wearing apparel and the like by applying the tape-covered roller or drum, with its adhesive coating on the outside, against the fabric and by simply rolling it over the surface of the fabric.

The sticky or tacky adhesive coating of the exposed surface of the tape disposed on the peripheral surface of the roller or drum removes lint, dust, hair and any other foreign particles from the surface of the fabric by causing such lint, dust, hair or foreign particles to adhere to the tacky surface of the pressure sensitive tape as a result of the rolling action of the roller or drum upon the surface of the fabric. When the tacky surface of the tape becomes loaded with lint, dust, hair and foreign particles to such an extent that it is no longer of further use, it becomes necessary to remove the used tape and replace it with a surface of fresh pressure sensitive tape. This is normally done by originally providing several layers or turns of pressure sensitive tape wound around the roller or drum of the lint remover, and by unwinding the used layer and cutting it 0% as soon as the exposed tape surface becomes too dirty for further use. This operation is repeated until eventually all the supply of fresh tape originally wound around the roller or applicator drum has been entirely exhausted.

When all of the tape on the roller has been utilized, a refill roll, either supported on its own disposable roller or drum, or on a tube that may he slipped over the roller or drum, may be purchased and used with the lint remover. The cost of providing replacement cartridges or mandrels or even tubes of wound tape rolls is high compared to the cost of plain bulk tape and additionally, represents a considerable inconvenience because of the necessity of having to obtain and keep replacement tape rolls on hand.

The apparatus of the invention provides a simple and efiicient device for winding a predetermined length of pressure sensitive tape, hereinafter called lint removing tape, upon the peripheral surface of a lint remover roller or applicator drum without all the inconvenience of manually reloading the roller or drum of a lint remover with a replacement cartridge or roll of fresh lint removing tape.

The apparatus of the invention has particular applications where lint removers are used on a large scale, such as in clothing retail stores, dry cleaning shops, laundries, tailor shops, department stores and the like. The apparatus of the invention has also many applications in self-serve laundry establishments, and department stores where a coin operated apparatus according to the invention may be left to the disposal of the patrons to enable them or the store clerks to reload lint removers with a predetermined length of lint removing tape.

3,383,063 Patented May 14, 1968 One object of the invention, consequently, is to provide an apparatus which is normally used in combination with a lint remover for dispensing a predetermined amount of lint removing tape and for winding such length of tape upon the peripheral surface of the roller or drum of the lint remover.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character indicated which prevents waste of lint removing tape and which enables any unskilled person to renew the surface of a lint remover roller or drum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character indicated which permits renewing the surface of a lint remover roller or drum by utilizing pressure sensitive tape purchased in a bulk form such as substantially large rolls providing a great length of tape, with the accommpanying savings of money generally associated with purchase of material in bulk form.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character indicated which is simple in construction, which uses many elements easily obtainable or easily manufactured, which is practically fool-proof in operation and which may be manually or power operated and which may also be coin operated when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following specification is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like or equivalent parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of an example of an apparatus according to the invention, with a lint remover placed in position for loading or replenishing of its roller or drum with fresh tape;

FIGURE 2 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 with the lint remover omitted;

FIGURE 3 is a side perspective view of the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an example of a lint remover usable in combination with the apparatus of FIGURES 13;

FIGURE 5 is a modification of an apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 5 as seen from line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is an example of another lint remover usable with the apparatus of the FIGURES 13 and FIGURES 5-6; and

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation view of a modification of the apparatus of the invention, which is power and coin operated.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 14 thereof, a lint remover 10 (FIGURE 4) consisting essentially of a handle 12 on the end of which is normally mounted a roller or drum 14 is placed for loading with fresh tape on one end of the housing 16 of a tape loading apparatus according to the invention, by inserting the handle 12 in a pre-formed cut-out 18 on the end of said housing. The housing 16 of the apparatus comprises side panels 44 and 46 structurally held in spatial relationship by way of front panel attached by any conventional means such as screws, rivets or other fasteners (not shown) and by way of rear bracing supports 47. Al ternately, the housing 16 may be a one-piece casting of metal or other material such as plastic. A support bracket 20 may be disposed below the cut-out 18 in order to afford better support to the handle of the lint remover. The end face 21 of the roller or drum 14, opposite the end provided with the handle 12, has two recesses or holes 22 and 24 (FIGURE 4) which are normally adapted to engage pins 26 and 28 protruding from one face of a driving member 30 rotatably mounted within the housing 16 to one side thereof so as to be substantially axially aligned with the axis of the lint remover roller or drum when the latter is placed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1. In order to facilitate the insertion of the lint remover in proper position in the apparatus pins 26 and 28 of the driving member 30 engage openings 22 and 24 on end face 21 of the roller or drum 14. End face 21 is also advantageously provided with a pilot or pin 32 adapted to engage a hole 34 in driving member 30. Also mounted within the housing 16, with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of the lint remover roller or drum 19, there is a tape roll drum 36, best seen in FIGURE 2, mounted upon a spindle 38 whose ends are supported by abutments (not shown) disposed at the bottom of slots 4-0 and 42 provided on the inside of panels 44 and 46 respectively defining the sides of the housing 16. The spindle 38 is preferably threaded, and the tape roll drum 36 is preferably made in two sections, as shown, so that the width of the drum and its lateral positioning may be adjustable. Locking means such as, for example, nuts 48 are provided for locking the drum 36 in its appropriate position.

The tape roll drum 36 is further provided with side flanges 37 for properly laterally positioning a roll 58 of pressure sensitive tape 51 (FIGURE 1) normally disposed on such drum, the pressure sensitive tape 51 being the lint removing material which is to be wound upon the peripheral surface of the lint remover roller or drum 14. Tape 51 may have a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on both sides thereof or it may alternately preferably consist of a tape having only one coating of adhesive disposed on one side thereof, for example, substantially similar to tape commonly known as masking tape.

The driving member 30 is provided with a gear-like portion 31 meshing with a gear 52 which is mounted on one end of a spindle 54, being keyed thereupon or locked thereupon by means such as a set screw, and the other end of the spindle 54 protruding on the outside of the side panel 44 of the housing 16 carries a crank 56 which may be manually operated so as to rotate gear 52 which in turn rotates driving member 30. In this manner, after manually attaching the free end of the tape 51 from roll 50 upon the peripheral surface of the lint remover roller or drum 14, rotation of the crank 56 causes roller or drum 14 to be rotated by being driven by pins 26 and 2S engaging holes 22 and 24 on the end face 21 of the roller or drum, with the result that a length of tape is wound around the peripheral surface of the roller or drum. After an appropriate amount or length of tape has been wound around the roller or drum 14, the lint remover 10 is removed from the apparatus and a shear or cutting edge 58 is used for severing the tape so as to permit the lint rer mover 10 to be pulled free. On the bottom of the shear or cutting edge 58 may be disposed a block 60, which in addition to being one of the structural bracing members holding together the two side panels 44 and 46 of the housing, also serves as a holding means for the end of the tacky tape by providing a surface for such end of the tape to adhere. When another holder or lint remover is placed in the apparatus, the operator detaches the end of the tape adhering to the underface of the block 60 and applies it upon the prepared peripheral surface of the roller or drum 14 before Operating the apparatus for dispensing a length of tape and applying it around the roller or drum of the lint remover as previously explained.

FIGURES -6 show a modification of the apparatus of the invention. In this modification, the housing 16 comprises two side panels 44 and 46 held together by means of bracing member such as fasteners or screws 45 and 47 and block 60 supporting the shear or cutting edge 58. The roll 50 of pressure sensitive lint removing tape 51 is disposed around a drum supported by means of spindle 38, the ends of the spindle being disposed in slots 40 and 4-2 in respective side panels 44 and 46. The ends of the spindle 38 abut and are journaled upon the ends 41 and 43 of the slots 40 and 42. To load or re-load, a lint remover, such as lint remover (FIGURE 7), with fresh lint removing tape, the handle 12 of the lint remover is placed on the end of the housing 16 in a supporting cut-out 18 similar to the supporting cut-out 18 of the embodiment of FIGURES l-3. The roller or drum 14 has an end face 21 provided with a recessed portion 72 and driving abutmcnts 74 and 76, substantially 180 degrees apart, the end face 21 being also preferably further provided with a pilot pin 32. When the lint remover is placed in the apparatus, the pilot pin 32 engages hole 34 situated substantially at the axis of driving member 30 with the result that the lint remover roller or drum 14 is substantially axially aligned with the driving member. The face of the driving member 30 engaging the end face 21 of the roller or drum 14 has two projecting pins 26 and 28, 180 degrees apart, which are adapted to project into recess 72 in the end face of the roller or drum. \Vhen driving member 30 is rotated, pins 26 and 28 are caused to engage the sides of abutments 74 and '76, thus causing the roller or drum 14 to be also rotated.

It is evident that lint remover 10 of FIGURE 7 is similar to lint remover 1i) of FIGURE 4 and that either lint remover may be loaded with fresh lint removing tape by means of the example of apparatus of FIGURES 1-3 as well as the example of FIGURES 5-6. However, the lint remover of FIGURE 7 has the advantage of being easier to insert into the apparatus, as the pins 26 and 28 need not be aligned with only slightly larger apertures in the drum end face.

Driving member 30 (FIGURES 5-6) is provided with a gear portion 31, concentric therewith, which meshes with a second gear 62, which in turn meshes with a third gear 52 freely supported by a spindle or shaft 54. The shaft 54 is provided with a one-way clutch mechanism 64 adapted to rotate a hollow spindle 66 upon which is keyed the gear 52. The end of the shaft 54 projecting Within the housing 16 is provided with a return coil spring 68 having one end attached to a pin 70 affixed to the shaft 54 and its other end attached to a pin 72 fixedly mounted upon the housing 16. Consequently, when the end of the shaft 54 protruding on the outside of the housing 16, is rotated by means of a lever 74 attached thereto, the oneway clutch 64 drives the hollow spindle 66 which in turn drives gear 52. The gear 52 in turn drives gear 62 which in turn drives gear 31 thus causing the driving member 30 and the roller or drum 14 of the lint remover 10 to rotate in unison. A predetermined amount of lint removing tape 51, the end of which had been previously attached to the surface of the roller or drum 14, is thus wound around the peripheral surface of the lint remover roller or drum. The spring 68 causes the shaft 54 to rotate in the opposite direction as soon as the lever 74 is released, so that, upon the next actuation of the lever 74, another predetermined length of tape 51 is wound around the roller or drum 14. The tape 51 is subsequently severed by means of the shear or cutting edge 58, as previously explained in relation to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3.

FIGURE 8 represents a power operated modification of the invention. In this modification, the driving member 30 is directly, or through an appropriate gear reduction mechanism, driven by means of an electric motor 76 mounted upon the side panel 44 by way of a flange 78 afiixed thereupon by any conventional means such as screws 80 or like fasteners. In addition, a coin operated switch 82 is also included in this embodiment, so that the electric motor 76 may be actuated only upon insertion of an appropriate coin into a slot 84. The coin operated switch 82 also includes a timing device and relay, according to well known principles, which automatically stop the motor 76 after a predetermined amount of tape has been dispensed from the tape roll and wound around the peripheral surface of the roller or drum of the lint remover.

It should be appreciated that the coin actuated switch 82 may be replaced by a coin actuated lock which can be used in combination with the examples of the invention of FIGURES 1-3 and 5-6, in order to unlock the crank 56 on the handle 74 end to relock the crank or the handle after a predetermined amount of tape has been wound around the roller or mandrel of the lint remover. It should be appreciated that the power-actuated modification of the invention of FIGURE 8 may be used with the coin operated switch 82 omitted and replaced by an ordinary on and off switch for the purpose of starting and stopping the electric motor, such an arrangement being particularly convenient for example in garment manufacturing plants where lint removers are extensively used.

It is evident that the examples of the invention herein described and illustrated have been given only for illustrative purposes to explain the principles of the invention, and that the structural appearance of the invention may be changed in many ways, and that many modifications and omissions of elements, as will become apparent to those skilled in the art, are possible without affecting the essence and scope of the invention as stated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a lint remover comprising a handle and a drum adapted to be journally mounted on the end of said handle, said drum normally being provided with at least one turn of lint removing tape on the peripheral surface thereof, an apparatus for loading the drum of said lint remover with a predetermined length of lint removing tape, said apparatus comprising: a housing; means in said housing for rotatably supporting a roll of lint removing tape, support means in said housing for rotatably supporting the drum of said lint remover with the axis of said drum substantially parallel to the axis of said roll of lint removing tape; a driving member having a face provided with means engaging said drum for causing said drum to be rotated in unison with said driving member; a first gear concentric to said driving member and adapted to cause said driving member to rotate in unison therewith; a second gear meshing with said first gear; driving means causing said second gear to rotate so as to cause said first gear to rotate said driving member whereby a predetermined amount of lint removing tape is wound upon the peripheral surface of the drum of said lint remover; and means attached to said housing for shearing said lint removing tape for permitting removal of said lint remover from said support means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving means comprises a manually operated handle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving means comprises a manually operated crank.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving means comprises an electric motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving means is normally locked and is adapted to be operable for dispensing a predetermined length of said tape by being unlocked upon insertion of a coin into an appropriate receptacle in said apparatus.

6. In combination with a lint remover comprising a handle and a drum adapted to be journally mounted on the end of said handle, said drum normally being provided with at least one turn of lint removing tape on the eripheral surface thereof, an apparatus for loading the drum of said lint remover with a predetermined length of lint removing tape, said apparatus comprising: means rotatably supporting a roll of lint removing tape means rotatably supporting the drum of said lint remover in substantial parallel relationship with said roll; means engagin-g sai-d drum for rotating said drum for dispensing on the peripheral surface thereof a predetermined length of said lint removing tape; and means for shearing said tape after said predetermined length thereof has been wound on the peripheral surface of said drum.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the driving means comprises a manually operated handle.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said driving means comprises a manually operated crank.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said driving means comprises an electric motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving means is normally locked and is adapted to become unlocked upon insertion of coin into an appropriate receptacle in said apparatus.

11. A re-usable lint remove comprising: a handle; a drum journally mounted on the end of said handle, said drum being adapted to receive directly upon the peripheral surface thereof a predetermined length of lint removing adhesive tape of a width slightly less than the length of said drum; and driving means integral with the end face of said drum; whereby said lint remover is adapted to be loaded with a predetermined length of lint removing adhesive tape by means of an apparatus of the type including means rotatably supporting a roll of lint removing tape, means rotatably supporting the drum of said lint remover in substantial parallel relationship with said roll, means adapted to engage the driving means of said drum for rotating said drum for dispensing on the peripheral surface thereof a predetermined length of said lint removing tape, and means for shearing said tape after said predetermined length thereof has been wound on the peripheral surface of said drum.

12. The re-usable lint remover of claim 11 wherein said driving means consists of a recess in the end face of said drum and abutment means projecting from the bottom of said recess for engagement with the means dependent from said appaartus adapted to engage the same.

13. The re-usable lint remover of claim 11 wherein the lint removing tape wound on the peripheral surface of said drum has an adhesive coating on one side of said tape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,143,214- 6/1915 Love 242-673 1,250,845 12/1917 Gebhart 242-56 1,257,404 2/1918 Ross 242-673 1,309,393 7/1919 Carter 242-60 X 1,357,385 11/1920 Deputy 242-673 X 1,597,679 8/1926 Forte 242-673 1,949,541 3/1934 Hartman 242-56 X 3,077,919 2/1963 Krueger 242-673 X 3,156,938 11/1964 Bitts 15-104 WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A LINT REMOVER COMPRISING A HANDLE AND A DRUM ADAPTED TO BE JOURNALLY MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID DRUM NORMALLY BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE TURN OF LINT REMOVING TAPE ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE THEREOF, AN APPARATUS FOR LOADING THE DRUM OF SAID LINT REMOVER WITH A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF LINT REMOVING TAPE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A HOUSING; MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A ROLL OF LINT REMOVING TAPE, SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING THE DRUM OF SAID LINT REMOVER WITH THE AXIS OF SAID DRUM SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID ROLL OF LINT REMOVING TAPE; A DRIVING MEMBER HAVING A FACE PROVIDED WITH MEANS ENGAGING SAID DRUM FOR CAUSING SAID DRUM TO BE ROTATED IN UNISON WITH SAID DRIVING MEMBER; A FIRST GEAR CONCENTRIC TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO CAUSE SAID DRIVING MEMBER TO ROTATE IN UNISON THEREWITH; A SECOND GEAR MESHING WITH SAID FIRST GEAR; DRIVING MEANS CAUSING SAID SECOND GEAR TO ROTATE SO AS TO CAUSE SAID FIRST GEAR TO ROTATE SAID DRIVING MEMBER WHEREBY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF LINT REMOVING TAPE IS WOUND UPON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE DRUM OF SAID LINT REMOVER; AND MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING FOR SHEARING SAID LINT REMOVING TAPE FOR PERMITING REMOVAL OF SAID LINT REMOVER FROM SAID SUPPORT MEANS. 